/qgzonrk6rh9ddk00lrfzyfv0t3ej)
Public Safety
Policy Statement:
Langley City First is committed to investing in public safety, including the basics such as hiring more police and firefighters. As a team, we are also committed to prevention by implementing the recommendations of Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety, a bottom-up approach to safety. This includes expanding the one-stop shop approach, where the City proactively manages safety concerns and provides a single point of access for all residents in our community. This also means growing proactive patrols and increasing positive events and activities in our public spaces.
What We’ve Done:
Hired nine new suppression firefighters and one new fire prevention officer to increase service from one 24/7 fire crews to two 24/7 fire crews.
Hired five new police officers and created one new bylaw officer position, to prepare for the arrival of the SkyTrain and impending population growth.
Launched the Langley City Emergency Program, with people ready to respond when disaster strikes.
Launched the one-stop shop Community Safety Department to proactively manage safety enforcement and visibility in Langley City, making it easier for people to raise concerns and for the City to address those concerns.
What We Will Do:
Continue to hire additional police, community safety officers, and firefighters to meet the needs of our growing community and prepare for the arrival of the SkyTrain.
Establish a community safety volunteer ambassador program for Downtown Langley City and our parks system.
Increase the cleaning frequency of all Langley City public washrooms.
Work with non-profit organizations to increase cleanup of parks and trails.
Work across government, non-profits, academia, and the private sector to explore additional approaches to community safety.
Parks and Environment
Policy Statement:
Langley City First is committed to continuously improving parks, natural areas, and trails within Langley City, including creating programs that support the protecting of natural areas, expanding the urban tree canopy, managing waste, and investing even more in our parks and trails.
What We’ve Done:
Strengthened environmental protection, including the introduction of a new tree management bylaw and urban forest management strategy.
Modernized detached home and on-street garbage collection program with the introduction of dog waste collection.
Enhanced the accessibility of the trail network by widening and paving trails, such as between 53rd Avenue and Michaud Crescent.
Built a new public washroom at Douglas Park.
Upgraded sports fields at City Park, including new high mast netting, poles, and backstop dugouts at Barbour Diamond.
What We Will Do:
Create a sustainable development and climate change mitigation framework to ensure that Langley City can still provide a good quality of life for residents and grow our greenspace.
Widen pathways in Douglas Park and work towards widening all paths in the City to improve accessibility.
Housing
Policy Statement:
Langley City should be a community where people can afford to live. Langley City First will continue to advocate to the provincial and federal governments to fund affordable and accessible housing projects and implement policies that increase housing affordability for all people. In Langley City, we continue to reform our local bylaws and policies to drive housing affordability and accessibility, and create spaces for people to work, live, and play.
What We’ve Done:
Partnered with the provincial government through the BC Builds program to directly deliver affordable workforce housing near transit.
Required below-market rental housing as part of every new project within 800 metres of the two Langley City SkyTrain stations.
Enabled childcare to be embedded into every part of the City.
Enhanced tenant protection to ensure that people receive fair financial support and the right to return if their rental building is redeveloped, including with below-market rental rates.
What We Will Do:
Advocate to the provincial and federal government to build co-op housing in Langley City, which will provide an additional affordable housing option for all people.
Ensure good living standards and protection of tenants within existing housing by implementing a Standard of Maintenance bylaw with appropriate enforcement.
Continue to support the creation of housing options for families and students.
Implement a standard housing design catalogue to speed up the home building process through pre-approved designs.
Create an "Aging in Place" strategy to ensure our community supports people no matter their stage of life.
Transportation
Policy Statement:
People value Langley City’s walkability. With the SkyTrain expansion on the way, Langley City First will continue to invest in a transportation system that gives people choices. At the same time, Langley City First will continue to prioritize roads and sidewalk upkeep. With e-mobility comes opportunities and challenges; our team is committed to an e-mobility action plan that puts safety front and centre.
What We’ve Done:
Completed $19 million Fraser Highway One-way Renewal, which included replacing century-old underground infrastructure, hydro undergrounding, enhancing the streetscape, and full repaving. This was the largest City-funded infrastructure project ever.
Repaved 56th Avenue, 55A Avenue, Logan Avenue (in progress), 198 Street (in progress), the 202 Street Neighbourhood in Simonds, and other sections of Fraser Highway.
Installed a new traffic light at 45A Avenue and 208 Street.
Expanded the active transportation network (for walking and cycling).
What We Will Do:
Pilot a community shuttle dedicated to serving senior citizens that will connect to the Langley City SkyTrain stations.
Collaborate with car, scooter and bike share companies in order to increase transportation choice getting to the SkyTrain and around the City.
Develop an e-mobility action plan, with a focus on e-scooters, that puts safety front and centre.
Continue to set aside funds required to be paid by developers building in the Downtown to fund the long-term construction of a Downtown Langley City parkade.
Work with the province and federal government to build a 200 Street overpass across the railway line as rail traffic is set to double in the coming decade.
Good Government
Policy Statement:
A core value of Langley City First is the belief that local government should be accessible, responsive, and pragmatic. Our team is committed to responsible financial and infrastructure stewardship that considers both today's requirements and future needs. Simply put, we want to leave our community's finances and infrastructure in a better place for the long-term. We also believe that all citizens' voices matter and will continue to use models such as Citizens’ Assemblies to guide our decisions on complex issues.
What We’ve Done:
Doubled contributions to infrastructure savings accounts from about $1 million to $2 million annually, and increased the capital projects budget from about $15 million to $30 million annually. This includes increased investment in renewing water, sewer, and storm sewer infrastructure.
Moved the budget cycle to earlier in the fall to improve staff hiring and project delivery timelines.
Kicked off an independent efficiency review of the City’s operations to ensure that every dollar has maximum impact.
Launched the Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety and Wellbeing, empowering citizens to have a direct role in governing their community, and approved moving forward with their recommendations.
Launched the Let’s Chat, Langley City public engagement platform.
What We Will Do:
Continue to enhance the dashboard and other metrics on Langley City’s website to increase transparency, including creating a new accountability dashboard.
Implement the recommendations of Langley City’s efficiency review.
Continue to build our partnership with the Langley School District, including advocacy for a new school site in the City and enhancing playgrounds.
Economic Development
Policy Statement:
Langley City has a strong industrial and retail business sector and is home to one of Kwantlen Polytechnic University's major campuses. This has the potential to have a multiplier effect and is part of the Langley Innovation District Plan. Langley City First is committed to this plan, including the development of a business incubation hub for entrepreneurs. Our team is also committed to listening to the perspectives of local business owners to enact changes that will positively impact Langley City's prosperity.
What We’ve Done:
Completed the Langley Innovation District Plan in partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
Implemented a FoodTech strategy and forum to support and grow local food-based businesses in Langley City.
Preserved industrial and other employment lands in our community from residential redevelopment.
Launched a new online economic development portal to support current and future Langley City businesses.
What We Will Do:
Make it easy for popup shops and other short-term or mobile businesses to set up in the City.
Provide land use flexibility in order to support small business growth and the work of entrepreneurs.
Work with nonprofit organizations and private enterprise to construct a small business accelerator pipeline and hub.
Social Infrastructure
Policy Statement:
We talk a lot about physical community infrastructure such as streets, parks, water and sewer lines. Equally as important for a strong community is its social infrastructure. Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly noted that strong communities require strong neighbourhoods where neighbours know each other and have the tools to support each other. Langley City First is committed to implementing the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly and creating a community where people feel that they belong, have opportunities to connect with others, and have access to the supports they need.
What We’ve Done:
Implemented the Citizens’ Assembly Resilient Neighbourhood Network, where residents can take ownership of their neighbourhood, get to know each other, and improve safety and wellbeing.
Increased positive activities in our community, including increasing funding for events and keeping the pool open six months a year instead of only four.
Increased the grant to the Langley Senior Resources Society to ensure that all seniors in Langley City can have access to the centre and its programming.
Launched a coordinated access program for people in extreme need in Langley City to ensure that they don’t fall through the bureaucratic cracks when they need to access multiple service providers.
What We Will Do:
Work towards implementing a Neighborhood House which is a mini-community centre with food, culture, social and recreation programs that brings community together.
Update our Official Community Plan and zoning bylaw to enable more residents to be within an easy walk of a corner store or coffee shop.
Work with the Langley Volunteer Bureau to make it easier for interested individuals to connect with organizations that need volunteers.
Continue to collaborate and co-ordinate with the province, health authority, and nonprofit organizations to better support people who are unhoused, in mental health crises, or who have problematic substance use issues.
Continue to implement recommendations from Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety and Wellbeing.